


Altered

by KittyT



Category: The Last of Us (Video Games)
Genre: Abby is a softy towards the reader but a badass, Adopted Reader, Altered reader, Bisexual Abby (The Last of Us), Complicated Relationships, Dina is anoying, Ellie Needs a Hug (The Last of Us), F/F, Gay Panic, Lesbian Ellie (The Last of Us), OWen can fuck off, Pansexual Reader - Freeform, Parent Tommy (The Last of Us), Reader is kinda badass but doesn't believe it, Reader was a science experiement, Swearing, The Author Regrets Nothing, The Last of Us Part II Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:16:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27631948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittyT/pseuds/KittyT
Summary: A late-night trip into the forest causes you to run into Abby and the Salt Lake City crew who save you from a frozen death. Later, a horrifying turn of events causes you to tag along with Ellie and Dina to Seattle where you get separated. Once again, face-to-face with Abby, you're overwhelmed with emotions but find yourself falling hard for the muscular blonde. Fighting through denial, a complicated past, a heated encounter with Ellie, Infected, and an incredible urge to punch Mel will make all the difference in the end. Did I mention you're hiding a very dirty secret?
Relationships: Abby (The Last of Us)/Reader, Ellie (The Last of Us)/You
Comments: 5
Kudos: 29





	1. Desperation

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't found any actual stories with Abby and the reader except for many sexual one-shots. Since I am very gay and dying over Abby and her muscles, I needed more than one-shots! So, I decided to write one myself for anyone else who's looking for one. This story will follow the reader completely except for some situations where it'll change to Abby briefly. Updates won't be fast since I'm busy, but this story will be complete within the next few months. I hope you enjoy it!

My breathing was ragged. My lungs ached with every breath desperately attempting to inhale the icy air. My feet were sinking into the snow and evergreen trees blocked my view in certain areas. My flashlight could only pierce through the snow a foot in front of me. Why did I decide to go out so early in the morning? Why did I think it was any good to sneak out like that? The moon was still high in the sky when I slipped past the lookouts. It’ll be at least a couple more hours before anyone at Jackson realizes I’m not in my house, and much less in the compound. All I wanted was to do was find those plants that they saw on a scouting mission. They sounded like they could be one of the medicinal plants that I used to harvest back home. Those plants could be very beneficial to making some kind of poultice to help with any wounds. We could only rely on medication so much until it started to run out or we’d have to scout farther.

If I was home, I would have a whole garden full of medicinal herbs! In Jackson, we had to prioritize vegetables and fruits high in vitamins. Maria said that the plant was a low priority... She was right, but what would happen when we needed it and we didn’t have it? Most plants didn’t survive the winter, so to hear that this plant could be out here made me forgo all rationality.

A shiver went through my body as the wind blew harder. It seemed that no matter how many layers I put on to fight the cold, it was not enough when the wind came through. The moon hadn’t even started to descend from the sky when I decided to go out. I had grabbed my backpack, my dagger, and my pistol before sliding out between the wooden panels. I was doing okay for a while until the wind picked up and it started snowing harder. When I lost visibility and tried to turn around, I fell down a swell of snow and lost my way. It’s easy to be turned around in the heavy snowfall especially when any footprints get covered up pretty quickly. I’m lucky that I haven’t run into any infected on the trip but I didn’t know how long that luck would last.

I decided to climb up as high as I could to get out of the valley to better visibility. The sound of the wind blocked out most of the sounds around me, and I hoped it blocked any sounds I made from nearby infected. Most of the infected would be slowed down by the cold, but there was always a couple that somehow found the strength to chase after a potential meal. I let out a huff and paused at a tree to try and catch my breath. The slope felt like it was starting to even out, so it wouldn’t be long until I was at the top. I chuckled to myself. I wasn’t the most athletic of the group in Jackson, but I wasn’t unfit either. The cold made it a bit more difficult for me to move around which sucked for the winter months. 

That’s one of the reasons why Maria kept me inside the compound unless I had an escort. Tommy liked to joke that it was because I was a flower born in the spring. The cold made me close my petals and retreat, but the heat was where I thrived. It was silly really because either extreme could kill a flower, but I understood his joke. 

Unlike Ellie, I wasn’t able to go anywhere I wanted to. I had a knack for dealing with plants and animals with an interest in healing that Maria encouraged. Tommy, on the other hand, insisted that I was trained properly in how to fight and handle myself. This led to many arguments between the couple, but eventually, Maria caved in when Joel pointed out that the more I knew, the more valuable I was to the community. So, my training started at the tender age of 14. Ellie would tag along sometimes but Tommy and Joel usually brought me out when she was busy.

The snowy wind seemed to die down as I approached the top of the slope. Slowly, my visibility returned and I could see the trees thinning out. The sky seemed to be a little brighter from what I could tell through the brief gaps in the clouds. The moon was hidden by the clouds so it was difficult to tell the time. Hopefully, it would be hours before Maria went to wake me up to work in the greenhouse. All I had to do was find my way back to Jackson and pretend like this never happened.

A curse left my lips as I turned around in a circle looking for the direction that Jackson was in. “Ellie wouldn’t get lost like this.” I sighed in annoyance. Why was I such a loser? 

One side of the slope seemed to be a sheer drop into a valley. “Not that way… I don’t want to fall to my death.” I mumbled to myself. Turning around my eyes landed on a building not too far down from where I was standing. “Huh? I didn’t know this building was here… Granted, I haven’t seen much since Tommy brought me to Jackson.” I chuckled to myself as I looked out past it. 

“There!” I gasped out in relief. My eyes found the outpost and Jackson shortly after.

“Aw crap… I’m definitely not getting back there before dawn.” I groaned. I stepped forward to get a better look when I felt the snow under my foot slide. I gasped and rushed to step away when the whole pile of snow under me gave out. A shriek slipped through my lips as I went falling over the edge of the cliff with the snow. My heart dropped as the ground raced towards me with another scream ripping its way through my lips before everything went black.

***

The Salt Lake City crew had been trekking for weeks through snowy terrain and fighting infected to reach their target: Joel Miller. Abby had finally gained permission from Issac to go track down her father’s killer. She was tipped off that Joel’s brother, Tommy, lived in a settlement near Wyoming. With this being her last lead, Abby was desperate to follow it through. Owen, her best friend, and ex-boyfriend tried to talk her out of going but ultimately failed. With grim determination, Abby, along with the rest of her crew following closely behind, set out for Wyoming. It was a tough journey having to trek through the freezing rivers but they managed to make it. They found a place hidden by the mountains where they decided to make it their temporary base. It was big and had working electricity which allowed for them to relax before they went out scouting around. 

Abby looked around the room they chose to rest in for the night. There wasn’t any furniture but it did have a fireplace and a sliding glass door. It made for a quick escape if anything happened, and if it got too cold they could always light the fire. No one would be able to see the smoke in this weather at night.

“Alright, we’re gonna camp here for the night before we look around in the morning.” Owen said to the group as they put their bags down. Abby rolled her eyes as she laid out her sleeping bag.

“Man, it’s killer out there!” Manny exclaimed. 

Abby glanced towards the glass doors and couldn’t help but agree. It seemed like they made it inside just in time. The snowfall had picked up and the visibility didn’t seem to be too great. 

“I’m gonna light the fireplace.” Mel muttered and she flicked her lighter open. It was chilly in the room, but nothing too bad in Abby’s opinion. Regardless, she welcomed the warmth as the room quickly heated up. 

“I can’t wait to be back in Seattle.” Nora sighed and pulled her jacket closer. There was a soft murmur of agreement.

“We just have to do what we can here to do and then we can leave.” Abby said. She sat down on the floor and pulled her jacket off. The room had reached a comfortable temperature. 

“Exactly!” Owen perked up, “We’ll be home before you know it.”

“Except we don’t know how long this is going to take, Owen.” Leah sighed. Everyone turned to look at Leah who was laying against Jordan. “I’m just saying. We could be here for weeks.”

“Once we find out if Joel’s here or not, we’ll leave...I promise.” Abby said to her. She was frustrated. They didn’t have to come with her if they didn’t want to. She would have come out here all by herself if she had to. 

“Alright, enough talking about going home!” Manny clapped his hands and sat down across from Abby, “Let’s talk about something else!” There was a moment of silence as everyone glanced around at each other. No one really knew what to talk about other than the mission or what was going on back in Seattle. 

“I’ve got something!” Mel grinned, “...I saw Abby checking out Lacy the other day!” WHAT?! That’s totally not true, Mel you piece of shit!

"What the fuck, Mel?!"

“WHAT?!” Abby’s friends exclaimed in unison.

“Lacy?!”

“Wait, you like girls too?!”

“When was this?!”

“Why didn’t you tell us!?”

Various questions were flung towards Abby who raised her hands in surrender. She was annoyed that Mel would lie about her to the group like that. Lacy had not been anywhere near her for the last two weeks, and Abby didn't see her that way. Owen looked like he had swallowed something sour if his face was anything to go by.

“Guys. Guys. GUYS!” Abby shouted. The group suddenly went quiet and looked at her. Abby sighed. She was thinking of the right way to answer all of their questions. When she opened her mouth, she was cut off by a loud shriek. Abby and the others shot up grabbing their weapons. Shortly after the shriek came a lengthy scream that startled Abby more. 

“That sounds human!” Abby rushed out as she sprinted to the sliding glass doors. Just as she unlatched it, the scream cut off suddenly and a dull thump was heard. Panic flooded through her system as she slid the door open and ran towards the direction of the sound. 

“Who’d be out this late?!” Leah called from behind her, “Abby!” Abby didn’t care about that. All she cared about was that there was someone potentially in danger or worse. 

Abby rounded the house and quickly scanned the area when her eyes landed on a dark mass lying motionless on the ground. She aimed her military-grade pistol at the mass as she moved closer. Approaching from the side, she noticed that her assumptions had been correct. Laying in the snow was a girl, not an infected. Abby crouched next to her and noticed a backpack laying a foot away from her. From a first-look, the girl didn’t seem to be injured or bitten, but Abby wasn’t going to take her chances. She reached out and pressed her fingers against the girl’s neck and noticed she still had a strong pulse. Letting out a breath, Abby picked up the girl in her arms. 

“What is it?!” Abby heard Owen’s voice question. She looked up from the girl and watched him approach through the snow. A gasp left his lips as his eyes landed on Abby and the girl in her arms.

“Let’s get her inside! Can you grab her bag?!” She yelled to him over the wind. Owen nodded and leaned down to pick up the bag. Not wanting to waste more time, Abby quickly walked back to the glass door and heard gasps as she walked inside with the girl.

“Oh my god! Is that a person!?” Jordan exclaimed. Abby scoffed. That was a stupid question. She wouldn’t carry an infected into the building. The crew quickly moved forward as Abby laid the girl down as close to the fireplace as possible. Being out in this weather was a death sentence if you couldn’t keep warm. She wasn’t sure how long the girl had been out there, but she didn’t want to take any chances.

“Yes, this is a human. I think she’s the one who screamed.” Abby responded as she grabbed her blanket and pillow. She wanted to make sure that the girl heated up as much as possible. Abby didn’t mind giving up her comfort, as long as the girl lived. 

“Nora, can you check and see if she has any injuries?” 

The dark-haired girl nodded and quickly went to work examining the girl. She removed the girl’s heavy overcoat leaving her in a red sweater. Abby’s eyes stayed glued to Nora and the girl as she carefully pressed her hands against the girl’s ribcage. The girl’s light brown skin seemed unnaturally pale compared to Nora’s healthier complexion. Abby wanted to be the one doing the check-up but she doubted the group would believe her. Not like her father wasn’t a top doctor and surgeon or anything before his death.

Owen had come back inside at this point and handed Abby the girl’s bag. It was a regular black canvas bag that had a few pins and patches, and what looked to be a little silver whistle hanging off a zipper. 

“What’s inside her bag?” Mel questioned as she walked forward to grab it out of her hand. Abby, pulled from her thoughts, looked down at the bag for a minute, and backed away from Mel. She didn’t want to go through the girl’s things but they had to know if she’d be a threat. Granted, it was eight against one, but you never knew. With a sigh, Abby unzipped the girl’s bag. In the big pocket, there was a change of clothes, a bag with some kind of food, a water bottle, and an empty bag. Abby moved the clothes to see if there were any weapons but found none. Confused, she glanced at the girl before looking up to her friends. 

“There’s not much. Some food, a water bottle, and a little fabric bag.” 

“That’s it? No weapons?” Nick questioned while moving closer. He had been quiet since they got to the house. Abby sighed and looked again. Nothing. She shook her head and the group looked at each other in confusion. Who would be outside without any weapons? Walking through almost blizzard weather with no weapons at night? Was this girl trying to get killed?

“Hey, guys...” Nora said, bringing attention to her, “She’s very lucky. I don’t see or feel any wounds. There's some bruising, but that's about it.” A murmur went through the group. This girl keeps getting stranger and stranger.

Abby sighed in relief and closed the girl’s bag. She placed it next to her on the floor, before laying a blanket over her. 

“No bite marks either, Nora?” Leah asked. 

“She’s clean.” Nora looked at them and shrugged. 

“So what happened to her? Why did she scream?” Manny said from nearby. Abby looked down at the girl and thought back to where she was found. The only way in was from the other side of the house, and they would have had to see her walk past the glass door or a window. The only other option would be…

“I think she fell from the cliff...” Abby said quietly. The group snapped their heads in her direction.

“But wouldn’t that have killed her? I mean...Nora said she’s perfectly fine!” Mel exclaimed. 

“Well, we’ll just have to wait for her to tell us then.” Abby responded coldly as she sat down near the girl. 

“Okay, enough excitement.” Owen laughed awkwardly, “Let’s get some rest… Abby and I will stay up to watch the girl until she wakes up.” Abby raised an eyebrow at Owen who gave her a look. Mel looked like she wanted to protest but kept her mouth shut. The rest of the group went back to their spots on the floor. If the stranger wasn’t a danger, there was no need for all of them to be up. There were no complaints from the others as they all said their goodnights and went to sleep. 

It was silent in the room except for the soft crackling of the fire. Abby leaned back against the wall and let her eyes slip closed to enjoy the silence. The warmth from the fire felt nice against her skin. Soon, it would all be over. She would find Joel, get revenge for her father, and go back home to Settle. 

“So, when do you think she’s going to wake up?” Owen’s voice sounded.

Abby sighed at the lost quiet and opened her eyes. She shifted and brought one of her legs up to her chest, wrapping her arm around it. She looked at Owen and shrugged her shoulders.

“I’m not sure. If she did fall off the cliff, it might be a few hours depending on how exhausted her body is.”

Owen nodded his head and looked over to the girl. He seemed to be lost in thought, as Abby watched him. Things between the two of them were slightly awkward since he got together with Mel. For some reason, Mel didn’t seem like she wanted Abby around which was funny since she joined them on the trip anyway. Probably to keep an eye on her after Owen said that he was coming, Abby snorted. Owen’s attention snapped over to her as she looked away from him. She really didn’t want to have a conversation with him right now.

“I’m going to get a little shut-eye. Wake me up if anything changes with her.”


	2. Awake

My aching body was the first thing that came to my mind. A groan left my mouth as I tried to move and opened my eyes. I expected to see snow and dark skies, but my eyes saw a wooden ceiling instead. Disoriented, I could finally feel the heat against my skin and hear the soft crackling of a fire. I turned my head and saw that I was lying next to a fireplace. With a startled gasp, I threw myself up into a seated position. My hands steadied me as I looked around the room I was in. There was a group of people sleeping on the floor. Scared, I kept looking around when my eyes landed on my backpack next to me. I quickly grabbed it and looked through it to see if everything was there. My hand brushed against the pocket holding my pistol. It was still there. Next to my backpack was the heavy winter coat that I was wearing before I fell from the cliff. I glanced down at myself and noticed that I was still in my hoodie. I sighed in relief as I reached up and felt that my hair was still in its wrap.

“Hey…” A soft silky voice startled me as I whirled around. My eyes widened as they landed on a woman who had her hands up in surrender. I didn’t notice her there at all! My breath hitched as I looked at her. She had blonde hair that was braided in a ponytail, blue eyes, pale skin and-. The only thing my mind could think of when I saw her was… She was one  _ very  _ buff woman. I tore my gaze from her muscles and looked at her face. My eyes kept trying to wander down her body, and I cursed at myself mentally. She had a concerned look on her face that reminded me she had spoken to me.

“S-Sorry...Um, Hey…” I stuttered out. I watched as she relaxed and sat down where she was standing. Now that she wasn’t sitting, I noticed a guy standing a little bit to the side of her. He was looking at me with the same concerned look in his eyes, but I caught the hidden gun behind his leg. _'Concerned that I'll be a threat, huh?'_ My hand subtly slid into my hoodie pocket, pushing some fabric aside to grab the handle of my dagger. If anyone makes a move I deem as threatening, I am going to book it out of here. 

“How are you feeling?” The girl asked. I took a deep breath and looked down at my hands. She was quite intimidating, even if she wasn’t trying to be. I don’t know if it was because of her muscles or because I couldn’t help but feel attracted to her. Regardless of that, I have to be careful with what I tell them. Just because they saved me, doesn’t mean they might not have nefarious reasons. We got lucky in Jackson with kind strangers but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t run out.

“I-I’m a bit sore, but I think I’m okay.” I responded. I refused to look up. While the girl may have seemed intimidating that didn’t stop my heart from pounding a bit harder. 

“We were hoping you could tell us what happened. We found you passed out in the snow.” The guy next to her finally spoke. I looked up at them and laughed at myself. I couldn’t help but notice a slight tension between the two of them as I observed them.

“What happened? I was being careless. I was on the cliff top looking for the way down when I slipped and fell with the snow.” They were looking at me in disbelief. I didn’t blame them, of course. Someone telling you that they fell fifteen feet to the ground and lived without a scratch was impossible. Yet, here I was.

The girl cleared her throat and shook her head. 

“Well, I’m glad you’re okay. You gave me quite the scare when I heard your scream and then found your body lying there. I brought you inside when I realized that you were still alive.”

“Thank you for saving me. I would’ve been dead if it wasn’t for you.” I carefully stood up and grabbed my coat. Dusting it off, I pulled it on and picked up my backpack. I made a show of checking it again, while secretly tucking my pistol in my waistband. “But, I think I overstayed my welcome...and I really should be going.” The two glanced at each other before looking back at me. I could tell they were having a silent conversation between them. 

“Actually, one more thing. I was wondering where you came from.” The guy said, “There’s no one for miles.” He sounded genuinely curious, so I gave him a smile. So, they’ve never been to Jackson before or near it for that matter...they must not be from around here then. Tommy's words to me flashed into my mind. 

_**"Remember, don't trust anyone you just met. Even if they saved your ass. You're a great liar, kiddo, use it."** _

“I’m just passing through. I’m actually heading to Salt Lake City. I used to know someone there who I haven’t heard from in a while. I’m hoping they‘re still doing good.” By doing good I mean that I hope they’re still six feet under the ground. Fury went through my body for a second. The girl’s eyes seemed to widen ever so slightly and there was an emotion making itself known. Before I could figure it out, it was gone. I glanced at the other guy but he just looked at me with hard eyes. Something I said didn't sit right with them, so I took that as my cue to leave.

“Uhhh, I’m gonna head out now… I hope y’all get to where you’re going safely...and thanks again for the save.” I gave them a brief smile before I walked to the glass doors and opened them. The snow had died down considerably, and the moon was visible. 

“Fuck.” I cursed, noticing that the moon was less than halfway in the sky. It looked like I only had two hours left until sunrise. I’d have to really rush back to Jackson if I wanted to make it back within an hour. Without a horse, the walk through the snow would add time considerably to my journey. Hopefully, I can get through without any more issues. 

“Wait.” That silky voice called to me just as I started out the door. A shiver went down my spine and not because I was cold. I heard the rustling sound of someone getting up and I turned around. The girl had gotten up and was approaching me. She had something clasped in her hand which she reached out to give me. Curiously, I put my hand out and she dropped it into my palm. I brought the object closer and I realized it was a coin. Confused, I looked up at her. Now standing, I could see that she was an inch taller than me although she felt much taller since she was so muscular. 

“Ah...think of it as a parting gift. I have so many of them anyway. It’s not a big deal...and um the gate out of the grounds is that way.” The girl said as she pointed to the right of the building. I locked eyes with her and noticed a slight pink to her cheeks. Most likely from the warmth of the fire. I was oddly moved and nodded my head slowly, “Thanks.” I said. She nodded her head and waved as I walked through the doors. Quickly, not wanting to test my luck, I walked around the building towards the way she said the gate would be. I pocketed the coin and pulled my dagger out, gripping it tightly in my hand. 

“Come on, Miller. You have to stop being such a pansy!” I hissed quietly to myself as I slipped through the gate and made my way down the slope. 


	3. Caught

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm sorry for posting a month late, but I had a family member pass away at the start of February. This chapter is a bit short, but I hope you enjoy it anyway! Abby makes another appearance in the next chapter!

Going down the slope was a lot faster than going up. With gravity helping to push me down faster, it only took a couple of minutes. At the bottom of the slope, I took a minute to stop and catch my breath. What happened back there was a lot to take in. I shook my head to clear it from my mind. I could worry about that after I got back to Jackson. Standing up straight, I took another deep breath and started running. I knew the general direction I needed to go to get to Jackson, which was northwest of what I had seen. I knew running through the forest wasn’t completely quiet but I didn’t have a choice. If I got home after Maria noticed that I was gone, I would have wished the infected had gotten me instead. 

I don’t know how long I had been running for but I was forced to stop when my eyes landed on something in the snow. I carefully crept towards the tree next to me and crouched down. A soft, low groan reached my ears and I cursed. Infected. With the heavy snow gone, they were slowly starting to move again. If I didn’t get back home soon, I’d be dealing with them as well. I gripped my dagger tightly and slowly crept toward the half-buried thing. It was moving very slowly, causing the snow to slide off and expose its head. When I got close enough, I pressed the heel of my boot against its neck and drove my dagger through its skull. With a muted crack and final groan, the runner fell still under me. 

I grimaced as I pulled the dagger out and cleaned it off against the snow. Killing infected was easy when they were incapacitated, and even easier when the fungus made their skull weaker. That only applied to runners though, as the fungus ends up growing to cover and warp the skull of other infected. I sighed and after a glance around, I kept going. 

A part of me hoped to find the plant on my trek back to Jackson so I wouldn’t be returning empty-handed. The other part just wanted to be back in my vegetable garden, watering and fertilizing the plants.

A snarl cut me out of my thoughts and I quickly whirled around. My eyes widened when it landed on a runner headed straight towards me! I turned and started running through the snow to get to a better area to kill it. With all of the trees around, it would make it more difficult to get behind the runner. I could hear its snarls getting closer as the trees started to thin and my heart soared. I broke the treeline, and let out a gasp as the ground gave out below me. I tumbled down the small slope and landed on the ground with a groan. _I have to stop doing that!_

Throwing myself up and onto my feet, I turned to see the runner come out of the treeline. My eyes searched for the dagger and caught it glittering in the first rays of the morning sun. I lunged for it as the runner got back up and tackled me to the ground. The cold metal of my pistol dug into my skin, and I desperately wished I had the silencer for it. The runner hissed and snarled, pulling at my clothes while trying to sink its teeth into my skin. I grunted, pulling my knees between me and the infected, desperately trying to keep it away from my face. My fingers wrapped around the chilled leather and I brought the blade up only for it to get knocked out of my hand. Panic flooded through me as I pulled my knees towards me and launched the infected off of me. I scrambled for my dagger, picking it up and whirling around just in time to raise it. I yelped, grabbing at the infected’s shoulders to keep it as far away as possible. Through the sound of the snarling, I heard a gasp which was shortly followed by the infected jolting forward. It went still and I let it drop to the ground with a dull thump. My head snapped forward and I made eye contact with two guys on horses. _Awe, hell._

“(Y/n)?! What the hell are you doing out here!” Uncle Joel said in surprise. He and Tommy dismounted from their horses and came rushing over to me. I noticed a third horse trailing behind theirs, which I realized was my horse, Tempest.

“More like, how the hell did you get out here!?” Tommy retaliated. I backed up a bit as they each put a hand on my shoulder to check me over for any visible wounds or bites. 

“It’s a funny story actually!” I laughed awkwardly as they both took a step back and crossed their arms. If people couldn’t tell that they were brothers, they would definitely be able to tell from that.

“Go on then, we’re waiting to hear this hilarious story.” Tommy said sternly. I sighed and slipped my dagger back into my hoodie pocket. 

“Maria said that the plant discovered on the last patrol was a low priority, but I disagree! It sounds like a medicinal plant that could be very beneficial to us. So...I snuck out this morning to go and find it…” I sighed, “I had every intention to be back in Jackson before anyone noticed that I was gone…” I trailed on when I saw the angry looks on their faces. Ellie thought Joel was bad? At least she didn’t have both of the brothers breathing down her neck. I looked down at my boots and I heard one of them sigh. 

“You had me worried about you, Moonflower. I went to check on you before I left for rotation and noticed that you and your backpack weren’t there. I nearly gave myself a heart attack looking for you around Jackson and found out you weren’t there.” Tommy sighed and ran a hand down his face, “I lied to your mom and left her a note saying that I took you out with me on patrol, in the hopes that I would be able to find you.”

I rubbed the back of my neck and sighed again. I had forgotten that Tommy and Joel would be the first ones out on patrol this morning. Tommy always checked in with me before he left in the early hours, so I’d know where to look if they didn’t come back on time.

“I’m sorry… I should have waited but- you know how Maria is! Once she sets her mind to something, it’s almost impossible to change!” A chuckle from Joel caused a slight smile to grace my lips. Everyone knew how Maria was when it came to making decisions.

“Alright, well...you’re in one piece so that’s a relief. You might as well come along with us on the route since your mother would be confused to see you return.” Joel said as he got back on his horse. Tommy sighed and nodded towards Tempest. I gave him a weak grin and pulled myself up onto the saddle. After I was situated, Tommy hopped onto Stormfly and grabbed the reins. With a click, our horses, Stormfly, Buzz, and Tempest carried on.


End file.
